Father found not guilty of shooting drunk driver who killed his sons in crash

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CNN

Father found not guilty of shooting drunk driver who killed his sons in crash

CNN

(CNN) — A father and his two young sons were pushing a truck that had run out of gas down a road in December 2012, when a drunk driver plowed into it, killing the boys. The drunk driver was then shot dead at the scene of the crash near Houston.

On Wednesday, a Texas jury handed down a verdict in the shooting of not guilty to father David Barajas, CNN affiliate KHOU reported.

After the hearing, prosecutor Jeri Yenne stepped in front of cameras to say that she still believed that Barajas killed Jose Banda. Otherwise, the state wouldn’t have prosecuted, she said.

“We also know that the jury did not believe that beyond a reasonable doubt,” she said. “We respect that.”

During the trial Sam Cammack, Barajas’ defense attorney, was able to cast some doubt on the charges. He told jurors that the blood of a third, unknown person was found in Banda’s car.

He accused authorities of jumping to conclusions.

“Obviously, at least how the evidence developed, they made up their minds at the scene that night and they never considered any other potential leads, even after the DNA came in,” KHOU reported Cammack as saying.

The victim was a gang member, the defense argued, and someone else shot him that night in his wrecked car.

The prosecution called an eyewitness who testified that Barajas had left the scene, returned minutes later then leaned into Banda’s car. He said he heard a gunshot but didn’t see a gun.